Highest Major Cities in Sri Lanka
Cities in Sri Lanka with more than 15,000 inhabitants, ranked by elevation above sea level (GeoNames digital elevation model).
1Nuwara Eliya27,500 people · Central Province
1,868 m
2Hatton15,073 people · Central Province
1,309 m
3Badulla47,587 people · Uva Province
683 m
4Kandy111,701 people · Central Province
500 m
5Gampola24,283 people · Central Province
492 m
6Matale36,462 people · Central Province
366 m
7Kegalle17,962 people · Sabaragamuwa Province
176 m
8Dambulla66,716 people · Central Province
168 m
9Kurunegala28,571 people · North Western Province
146 m
10Vavuniya60,176 people · Northern Province
104 m
11Anuradhapura60,943 people · North Central Province
100 m
12Ratnapura47,832 people · Sabaragamuwa Province
73 m
13Kataragama20,935 people · Uva Province
48 m
14Beliatta58,675 people · Southern Province
39 m
15Ampara43,720 people · Eastern Province
37 m
16Homagama34,664 people · Western Province
37 m
17Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte115,826 people · Western Province
27 m
18Maharagama195,355 people · Western Province
26 m
19Galle93,118 people · Southern Province
24 m
20Kolonnawa64,887 people · Western Province
20 m
21Pita Kotte118,179 people · Western Province
20 m
22Hendala56,978 people · Western Province
18 m
23Batticaloa86,742 people · Eastern Province
17 m
24Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia219,827 people · Western Province
16 m
25Devinuwara45,000 people · Southern Province
16 m
26Kotikawatta64,565 people · Western Province
16 m
27Hanwella Ihala22,918 people · Western Province
14 m
28Ambalangoda56,783 people · Southern Province
13 m
29Ja Ela32,175 people · Western Province
13 m
30Katunayaka84,643 people · Western Province
13 m
31Point Pedro89,810 people · Northern Province
12 m
32Battaramulla South75,633 people · Western Province
11 m
33Welisara41,306 people · Western Province
11 m
34Eravur Town22,982 people · Eastern Province
10 m
35Hambantota19,999 people · Southern Province
10 m
36Kalmunai100,171 people · Eastern Province
10 m
37Kelaniya28,846 people · Western Province
10 m
38Moratuwa168,280 people · Western Province
10 m
39Panadura33,735 people · Western Province
10 m
40Trincomalee108,420 people · Eastern Province
10 m
41Valvedditturai78,205 people · Northern Province
10 m
42Kandana33,424 people · Western Province
9 m
43Mannar35,817 people · Northern Province
9 m
44Matara76,254 people · Southern Province
9 m
45Vakarai21,000 people · Eastern Province
9 m
46Mullaittivu28,973 people · Northern Province
8 m
47Mulleriyawa33,540 people · Western Province
8 m
48Negombo137,223 people · Western Province
8 m
49Puttalam45,661 people · North Western Province
8 m
50Weligama22,179 people · Southern Province
8 m
Highlights
Within Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya ranks first in 2026 with 1,868 m, followed by Hatton (1,309 m) and Badulla (683 m).
Across 50 entries, values run from 1,868 m (Nuwara Eliya) to 8 m (Weligama), with a median of 16 m.
Source: GeoNames, cities with more than 15,000 inhabitants, 2026. Unit: metres.
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